Paris smelled the same. It was cruel, really—how nothing had changed. The air still carried that stubborn mix of fresh rain, coffee, and warm bread, wrapping around me like an echo of the past. The city still hummed, unchanged, indifferent, like it hadn’t even noticed I had been gone. But I had changed. Seven years had pressed against my edges, molding me into someone else. Someone who no longer believed in fairy tales. And yet—here I was, standing at the train station, fingers curled tightly around my suitcase handle, gripping it like it was the only thing holding me together.

My phone buzzed.

Ryna: Where are you?

I swallowed hard, blinking against the weight in my chest. I was late—not just in time but in spirit. Late to healing, late to acceptance, late to the moment when things were supposed to make sense. The past still pressed into me, tangled like a knot I hadn’t untied.

Him.

The taxi ride slipped past in smears of neon streaks and rain-specked glass. Outside, Paris glowed, golden lights spilling onto wet pavement, voices rising and falling in cafés, laughter curling through narrow alleys. It was unchanged, carrying on as if I had never left. Inside, my world was quiet. Just the hush of old wounds. Just the steady, uneven rhythm of my heartbeat.

When I arrived, warmth met me at the door—familiar voices, laughter spilling through the corridor. Before I could even process it, arms wrapped around me. "Aiza, I missed you!" Ryna’s voice held emotion, something thick and genuine that made my chest tighten. I clung a little tighter. "Not more than I missed you."

I had meant to say more. Had meant to hold onto this moment just a little longer. But then— "Oh my, is this our Aiza?"

Ronan was leaning against the couch, lips twitching in that same insufferable smirk. "You’ve gained weight." I narrowed my eyes, tension curling into my spine. "Excuse me?"

He lifted his hands in mock surrender. "I meant—you look stunning, your highness." Before I could respond, Aaron swatted the back of Ronan’s head, shaking his head. "Behave." Then, turning to me—quick, easy—he pulled me into a hug. And just like that, something inside me loosened. Maybe… this wouldn’t be so bad.

"Guys, just got a call from Caleb." The voice came from the hallway. "He said bring Ana on time."

And just like that, my heart flipped in my chest.

Jeremy.

Even after all these years, the sound of his voice made something sharp twist inside me. Same butterflies. Same ache. I turned—and there he was.

His eyes met mine. And for a suspended second, time folded in on itself. We were two college kids again, still lost in each other, still standing on the edge of something unnamed, unresolved.

But the moment passed.

We weren’t those kids anymore.

FLASHBACK

Ana had introduced me to the group: Caleb, Aaron, Ronan, and Jeremy.

Everyone had been so eager, so loud, so welcoming. The kind of warmth that should have felt reassuring. But I, ever the introvert, had curled inward instead—offering short replies, even shorter smiles.

"Aiza," Ronan had declared dramatically, "since you’re best friends with Ryna and Ana—and they’re our best friends—that makes you our best friend too."

I had blinked. "I don’t make best friends. I don’t even know when these two became mine."

Oops.

Too blunt. Too cold.

Great. Way to make a first impression.

Cue the spiral.

Caleb, ever curious, had asked, "Why don’t you make best friends?"

I could have told them the truth.

That trust didn’t come easy. That people always left.

But that felt too cliché. Too heavy.

Just then, my phone rang.

A lifeline.

"I have to take this," I mumbled, excusing myself—walking away before the conversation could root itself too deep.

And as I turned, a voice followed me.

Deep. Smooth. Teasing.

"Maybe your gravitational force was too strong."

I froze.

Jeremy.

Hair just long enough to make my fingers itch. Honey-brown eyes that saw more than they should. A mask that covered most of his face but somehow revealed too much. Tattoos peeking from his sleeves. A piercing glinting under the lights.

And a single sentence that nestled into my brain like it belonged there.

Jeremy, you planted yourself in my mind like a seed—and now you’re blooming through my thoughts like wild honey.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Ryna tugged me forward at the doorway, her grip insistently gentle as she led me inside. I couldn’t help—but my eyes betrayed me, drifting back for one last look. And there he was: standing across the room in brown pants and a beige sweater, his mask finally gone. His silky hair fell in careful waves, and his eyes held that secret glimmer, a message meant only for me. In that brief moment, when our gazes met, it was as if he silently said, I see you. I feel you. The sensation was uncomfortably unnerving and achingly unfair.

Inside, the corridor burst with the warmth of reunion. Amid bursts of laughter and playful chatter, Ronan interrupted our fragile moment with a theatrical clearing of his throat. “Lovebirds,” he chided with a half-smirk, “you can gaze into each other’s souls later. Focus. Are we ready?” One by one, everyone nodded as if in agreement. Ryna pressed the doorbell to Ana’s apartment—first a few hesitant knocks, then a full-blown doorbell concert.

When no answer came, I couldn’t help but grin mischievously and say, “Call her.” Ryna whipped out her phone and hollered, “Ana, get your lazy ass up and open the door.” Giggles erupted as we waited, the sound mingling with our heartbeats in the charged silence before footsteps approached.

The door creaked open, and in a joyful chorus, everyone shouted “Happy birthday!” as we enveloped Ana in a group hug. In that moment, a profound warmth stirred inside me—a delicate cocktail of joy, nostalgia, and the bittersweet sweetness of being truly missed.

A single tear escaped, trailing silently down my cheek before I quickly wiped it away, embarrassed.

Inside the bustling room, the air thrummed with the murmur of conversations, the crinkle of chip bags, and memories woven into every laugh. At one point, Ronan piped up with a teasing lilt, “So, Aiza—did that ice-cube boss of yours give you a promotion?” I managed a dry smile as I replied, “Not yet. I think I need to sell my soul first.”

Laughter followed, light and mischievous, until Ryna—ever the sniper with her questions—tossed in a curveball: “So, when are you and Jeremy getting married?” A year ago, I might have blushed and played along with a coy laugh. But now? The question struck me like a sudden drop in altitude. I couldn’t help but glance toward him.

Jeremy was already looking in my direction. He stood a few paces away, still and quiet, his gaze steady and complete. For a suspended second, amidst the chatter and clatter, silence bloomed around us like unexpected snowfall—gentle, cold, and almost painfully beautiful. The fragile magic of that moment was shattered only when Ana reappeared from behind, towel-drying her hair.

“What’re we talking about?” she asked, oblivious to the charged space between me and Jeremy. Smoothly, as if rescuing me from my own storm, Jeremy stepped in and said, “Just catching up,” before anyone could probe further. I exhaled deeply; he always seemed to know the exact moment to catch me before I fell further into longing.

Every stray thought led back to him: every glance from Jeremy still stirred static under my skin, every laugh in the room reopened doors I’d long since nailed shut.

When Ryna declared, “Let’s go clubbing!” and the group was swept into the pulse of the night, I slipped on a black dress—not out of desire for attention, but because tonight wasn’t about me. The moment I stepped out into the cool night, I felt Jeremy’s eyes on me once again. I moved behind Ryna as if shielding myself, letting her shoulder the impact that I wasn’t ready to face.

The cab arrived under Paris’ glittering skies—Paris, tonight, a jewel box under velvet. Rather than the expected neon lights and pulsing music, the taxi took a deliberate, slow turn toward the Eiffel Tower. Confusion danced on Ana’s face, and the chatter among our friends dwindled into a cautious silence.

Ana was looking around when Caleb came and stood beside us, we all gave him a thumbs up and he took a deep breath. We all secluded ourselves, giving a moment to our couple. Ronan was ready with a camera to record the beautiful moment.

We all stood there admiring the scene In Front of us. “Ana,” Caleb said, dropping to one knee. My face formed the brightest smile for my friend. “You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. You’ve brought so much joy and love into my life, and I can’t imagine a future without you in it. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes, Caleb,” Ana said, her voice thick with emotion. “Yes, a million times yes!” and hugged him tightly, then they kissed.

I raised my phone to capture that perfect moment—frame by heart-wrenching frame—yet inside, all I could feel was a deep echo. An echo resonating in the space Jeremy used to fill, a space now painfully vacant. Later, as the excitement settled into gentle chatter and shared dessert, Ryna leaned close, her chin resting softly on my shoulder. “So happy for them,” she murmured, “but my single heart is aching.” I teased, trying to mask my own inner ache, “You have Ronan.” But Ryna’s eyes went silent for a moment before she murmured so quietly it barely brushed my ear, “Just like you have Jeremy.” The name reverberated through me, igniting memories and raw feelings like a spark on dry leaves.

I turned to look. There, laughing with Caleb, his hands casually tucked in his pockets, the Paris lights gilding his features in a quiet glow, Jeremy’s eyes held mine. In that moment, everything else faded into the background—the noise, the laughter, the celebration—and all that remained was the memory of a connection I had hoped to reclaim. Later, as the night’s excitement dissolved into soft conversation and shared dessert.

We were talking and enjoying ourselves when Aaron suddenly announced that he had to leave as he had to catch a flight to California. Then Ana asked something which took me a moment to process how to answer. I glanced at Jeremy before answering. “We have booked a hotel nearby,” I lied, and they bought it.

Dear God,

Tonight was a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing Ana and Caleb so happy, their love shining brighter than the city lights of Paris, filled my heart with joy. But amidst the laughter and celebration, my thoughts kept drifting back to Jeremy. His gaze, his smile, it all felt so familiar yet so distant.

Jeremy’s presence tonight stirred feelings I thought I had buried deep within me before coming here. His smile, his gaze, it all felt so familiar, yet so distant. It’s as if we’re two strangers with memories.

His eyes still hold the same spark, the same intensity, the same love. But there’s a hint of sadness, a hint of regret. It’s as if he’s trying to tell me something, something he can’t put into words.

I find myself yearning for the past, for the days when we were just two college kids in love. But we’ve changed, grown, evolved. And yet, my heart refuses to let go. It clings to the hope that maybe, just maybe, our strings will one day be tied together again. But am I being too hopeful, God?

Your child,

Aiza